Vengeance
by RosieMary
Summary: CATHERINE MADISON RETURNS TO SUNNYDALE. COMPLETED, PLEASE REVIEW.
1. Graveyard Wanderings

Buffy Summers walked along the dusty paths of Sunnydale's oldest graveyard, not fazed by the winds howling, and the distant sound of owl's cries in the night, she was used to it.

It was cold, extremely cold for Sunnydale, a place which had only had one night of snow in 100 years.

She shivered and was glad that she had opted for the blue jacket, which apart from concealing her stakes from any people hanging around, it kept her reasonably warm.

"Why, In this temperature?" She wondered aloud.

"First sign of madness, talking to yourself" Commented the first vampire of the night.

"Well, the conversation isn't great around here", she replied.

She dusted him quickly, which was a shame because a longer fight would have warmed her up, she realised.

He was easy, newly-sired, ready for a fight, strong, but not nearly strong enough to take on the slayer. She wondered who he had been, before the vampires got to him, but she stopped herself.

"Stop it", she scolded, "it only makes your job harder".

Although Buffy knew that a vampire was just a soulless demon possessing the body of a now-dead human, the fact that they kept the person's looks and memories made them very disconcerting, even though she had been slaying for around five years.

It was quiet tonight again, she realised.

But she didn't feel like a big fight anyway. She had a lot on her mind.

Busy, with her new training schedule with Giles, now her unofficial full-time watcher again, no matter what the council said and now her Mom's illness. Never mind protecting Dawn's identity as the key, even from Dawn herself.

After another quick sweep she headed home, her blonde hair moving in the wind as she walked through the shadows, behind a large wall and out of sight. Out of Spike's sight. He came from behind a tomb, lit up a cigarette a looked like he was deep in thought.

He would have helped her, if he had thought she needed it, but he didn't want to be around her unless he had to be. Not since what had happened outside The Bronze. He'd got carried away and tried to kiss her. He had to pretend he was messing with her but her words "You're beneath me" , too familiar from his past, were so harsh they brought back memories of who h really was inside. He couldn't take it. He wasn't William the bloody, who Cecile rejected anymore. He hadn't been for a long time, not since he found Drusilla. He was Spike, he was the big bad, he reminded himself, but inside he knew it was a pretence, a lie. He was still bad, but not as bad as he should have been.

He was beyond confused, ashamed of the way he felt. "I'm a bloody vampire!" He thought, disgusted with himself, "and she's the slayer. It's not supposed to be like this!"

He kept having the same dream, where she was with him, over and over again, and he knew deep down that he loved her, but due to their colourful history, he couldn't accept it. My mind's playing trick on me he concluded. "It's this damn chip!" he added aloud to the empty graveyard., And my heart he thought as he walked away back to his crypt, and back to Harmony.


	2. Magic Box

"Ah ,Buffy" Giles said as she entered the Magic Box the next morning, the bell on the shop door ringing behind her. "Did anything interesting occur while you were patrolling last night?"

"It was a no-go, One vampire. Do you think something's up?" she asked.

"hmmm……. Well things have been like that before, and it meant nothing. If things are quiet every now and then, you should be grateful,"

"Yeah, you're right," she replied, "just a slow night. It's just, when you've seen so many apocalypses you start to get paranoid, I like to know what the uglies are up to," she finished. "Not wanting to change the subject from slayer age or anything, Giles, but why are we the only ones here?"

"Willow and Tara are on their way over and Xander and Anya are making the all-important stop for doughnut's" he explained.

"Oh. Do we have trouble?"

"No, Why?" he asked, wondering.

"It's just, usually when we're in doughnut mode, we're in full research mode too, _and _the whole gang's coming."

Giles laughed, and then looked uncomfortable. "Well, I thought that maybe it was about time you… told them about Dawn"

"No." Buffy answered immediately.

"Have you told your Mother yet?" he asked,

"No, not yet."

"How is she doing?" Giles asked, his eyes full of concern for her.

" She's…. a lot better" answered Buffy.

"Buffy… they have a right to know, if this Glory is as powerful as you say she is, a real hell-god, then their lives could be-and probably already are- in danger,"

" I know…." She said thoughtfully, she had only told Giles, he was her watcher, the person she trusted most and looked at as her father figure, even though her real father was only living in LA.

" I _will _tell them," she decided, "but not right now, when the time is right."

Giles understood.

Xander and Anya burst into the shop, cutting their conversation short. Xander put the pink doughnut box down on the table. Buffy noticed he had bought a lot of Jelly ones. Just as well, she realised, or there would have been fighting over them.

"Hi! What were you talking about?" asked Anya abruptly

Buffy couldn't stop herself from smiling. That was just so… Anya. The 1000 year old ex-vengeance demon might look just as young as the rest of them, (excluding Giles), and she was now human, her experiences made her knowledgeable but she still had a lot to learn about people skills.

"Ahn…" Xander reminded

" But I want to know" she hissed at him, "I'm sorry," she said to Buffy and Giles, with a smile. "Did we interrupt anything important? Was it anything we need to know?"

"That's what I _meant" _she shot at Xander

"Nope," said Buffy, "Just slayer stuff."

"Ah, boring!" commented Anya, "Can I count the money in the cash register?" she looked pleadingly at Giles.

"Be my guest," said Giles, rolling his eyes. Anya went off, happily.

Xander felt like looking at the others apologetically, but it was pointless, they were used to her. Her directness was one of the things he secretly found appealing about his girlfriend. He loved he, and he wanted to make sure she knew it, by giving her everything she wanted, to have a normal, fulfilling human life. His thoughts were interrupted by Willow and Tara joining them.

"Oh good, we're all here," stated Giles, "now we can start,"

"Wow. You make our little Scooby Gang sound like a secret society," commented Xander.

"Xander, shut up!" said Willow, "this could be important"

"That's okay sweetie, you can talk to me," said Anya, returning,

"That's nice, now can I _please_ continue!" snapped Giles. No-one replied.

"Good," he carried on, "there's a new gang of vampires in Sunnydale, they were seen at the city dump last night."

"Probably a raid," remarked Xander, "Vampires can be so cheap!"

"Yes, quite" responded Giles, "The point is, you should go, err… Check it out."

"Giles, please don't talk so we can understand you, we're not used to it," teased Buffy "But we will- check it out, that is"

"Yes, you three go with her there will be a lot of them.

"Deal!" said Xander and Willow simultaneously and they both laughed.

"We'll meet here about seven tonight?" checked Buffy.

"Agreed" said Xander.

"We made $812 dollars yesterday!" said Anya, happily.

"That's… nice" said Xander.

"Yeah. I'm pleased. Can we go home now? We haven't had sex today"

"Yes, Please do go," said Giles, cleaning his glasses.

"And spare us the details," finished Buffy.

"We're gone!" said Anya, quickly.

"and so are we," said Willow, "we've got class."

"Well, I should split too," Buffy said, "Call me if you need me." she said to Giles and she stepped onto the street and headed home. She didn't like to leave her Mom and Dawn alone for too long.


	3. Willow and Tara

"Buffy!" Joyce Summers called from the kitchen. "Do you want me to make a start on Dinner?"

Buffy came to join her. "No thanks, mom," she answered, "I'm not hungry just now."

" Well are you sure? it's getting pretty late,"

"Yeah, I'm fine. The guy said they'd come patrolling with me anyway. We're gonna check out the city dump, apparently some vamps have been hanging around. Anyway, enough about me. How've you been feeling?"

"Pretty good. I've been hoping to start again at the gallery soon," Joyce said casually, waiting for her daughter's reaction.

"What!" exclaimed Buffy, "I mean….Isn't it a bit soon? Just don't push yourself too hard, Dawn and I worry about you."

Joyce smiled at Buffy's concern, "I won't, I'm fine now Honey, honestly. But shouldn't you be going?"

"Yeah, it's dark, and the vampires don't usually wait for me before they eat."

"That's rude of them" Joyce remarked.

"Well, I've always thought so" said Buffy, as she grabbed her coat and left.

Willow lay on her and Tara's bed, looking over her journal. She sighed. Life was usually…lively in Sunnydale. But it had been peaceful for weeks. "Not even the odd chaos demon to keep us amused" she said to herself.

"What, sweetie?" asked Tara. She came to sit next to Willow and put her arm around her.

"Oh, nothing." answered Willow "Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Just about how nice and demon-free it's been lately."

"Mmm." Tara agreed. "That's new. Maybe we could work on some new spells sometime, keep us busy?"

"That sounds nice." Willow smiled at her girlfriend, "We could work on changing Amy back, you know, de-ratifying her." Amy went round and round on her wheel as Willow spoke.

"I'm not sure." Tara said thoughtfully. "You tried it once with that warlock, Michael, and it didn't work. And you're the most powerful witch I know."

"I'm not that great really, you've been practising _way _longer than me." Her eyes lit up as she tried to persuade Tara. "Together we're stronger, I think we could do it."

"Maybe…" Tara wavered, "but I still don't think it's a good idea. Amy was reckless. She was powerful, but she didn't only use it for good, she had dark powers."

"But sweetie, all magic has elements of darkness to it." protested Willow. "It's grey, it can go either way."

"Yeah, but Amy knew what she was doing. She could control it, but she chose not to. We should wait until we're sure we can handle her before we attempt to bring her back."

"You think she could be dangerous? I guess it's possible, her mother Catherine Madison went crazy after Amy's dad left. I told you about the whole switchy-cheerleader thing. But Amy's not like that. She was my friend." Willow sighed. "But you're right, we probably couldn't complete it right now anyway. We should wait until we're sure what we're doing."

"Agreed." said Tara, with a small smile. "But we could make a start on that sun spell for Buffy, makes dusting vampires more efficient."

"Sounds good." confirmed Willow "But we have to meet the Scooby Gang at the dump. Apparently that nest of big-bads are going to show up.

"There should be plenty of action then."

"Well, maybe afterwards could be action-packed too?" Willow suggested, her eyes sparkling.

Tara smiled and held Willow's hand as they left the dorm.

"Come on, the others will be waiting at the Magic Box, we should load up on stakes."


	4. City Dump

The whole gang sat in the Magic Box, waiting for Buffy. Giles was looking at about volume two hundred and something in a collection of dusty chronicles, Tara and Anya were having a tumb war while Willow and Xander watched.

"Hey guys!" Buffy called as she entered.

"Hey Buff! How're you doind, ready for slayage?" asked Xander.

"Aren't I always? So Giles, this gang will just be at the city dump?"

"They should be there tonight, yes, feeding, scavenging." Giles informed her, while cleaning his glasses.

"Well... not if I can help it." finished Buffy, loading up on weapons. "They shouldn't be too hard."

"Right guys, are we going? Giles, you coming with?"

"Er... no, I'll hit the books."

"But nothing majors going on at the moment, no reasearch's needed." she reminded him

"Well, it's never wrong to be prepared."

"You are in _serious _need of a life, Giles. But come on guys, dinner hour!"

Half an hour later they arrived at the dump.

"Oh my God! That smell!" cried Anya.

"It really doesn't get any better, does it?" remarked Xander. "Any spells to help, Will?"

"Only the save nose-removing one."

"Well, it was worth asking again. In fact, maybe we should give it a try, if it'll get rid of this tink of... stink."

A disturbance among the rubbish made Buffy look up.

"Guys, they're here. Time to kick ass!"

!That's not a gang of vamps, that's peroxide pest vamp!" Xander realised.

"Spike!" shouted Buffy.

"Someone say my name?"

"_What _are you doing here?"

"Well, what does it look like slayer, I'm helping!"

"Well, we don't _need _your help, Spike. Have you seen this vamp gang I have been hearing so much about?"

"They're dust"

"You staked them?"

"No, I shot them. _Of Course I bloody staked them!"_

"Well at least you're good for something." Buffy said, relenting slightly, but she couldn't hide the expression of disgust that appeared every time she saw him, or thought of him. "Go home Spike." she instructed him. "Passions is on." she said scathingly.

"No it's not, they moved it to Monday's and Wednesday's only a month ago!" he snarled at her. "But I can tell when I'm not wanted. I'm sure i can find something better to do than hang around with the slayer and her wanna-be's."

He stalked off.

"What makes you think we want you here?" Xander called after him. "_Wanna-be's" _he muttered, distastefully.

"Come on Xand, Spike's best left alone now that he's lost his bite like a little puppy dog, he's best left alone." reminded Buffy.

"You can say that again." agreed Xander.

"Well, I would but I can't remember the exact words." Buffy teased him. "Well, I guess or work was sort of done for us, annoying, but I suppose we should be a little grateful, as long as we don't tell him that. We don't want to encourage him to hang around us to get his kicks."

"I'm a little surprised he didn't ask for money, that's usually the only way for him to ever be useful." commented Willow.

"Don't worry. I'm sure he'll bring it up that we "owe him" next time he's short of cash." Buffy said.

"I'll bet." said Anya. "And of course, it'll come out of the cash register, as usual..."

Willow started looking around the dump. Most of it was trash, but some of it sparkled and shined, like there might have been little treasures hidden with all the junk. Suddenly her eyes caught on something familiar.

"Hey, look at this stuff!" She exclaimed.

"It's junk, Will." Said Buffy, giving her a strange look. "Maybe Giles isn't the only one that needs to get out more." she joked.

Willow shook her head. "No. They're trophies. Old trophies." She gestured towards them. "From Sunnydale High."

"Are you sure?" asked Anya "Wouldn't they have got destroyed in the explosion?"

"School go boom!" remarked Xander.

"Well maybe they were out for... cleaning or something." Willow suggested weakly. "But they _are _the same one's."

"Wow." said Xander. "Memories. bad memories mainly, but memories all the same."

"There's that cheerleading trophy" said Buffy.

"Oz always used to say it was as if the eyes followed you around." remembered Willow. "And there's that old photo of Catherine Madison, a little torn. It's funny, Tara and I were just talking about her earlier..."

"Catherine the Great." Buffy thought aloud, "What a nickname."

"I prefer the Buffster." Xander informed her.

"Buffy! Wach out!" Spike's cry came from the large gates in front of them.

"What the h-" Buffy began, but Spike interrupted her.

Behind you!" he warned.

A large, grotesque demon was fighting it's way towards them. It lunged for Xander, but he ducked out of the way. It started towards Buffy.

A fiere battle broke out, with Spike assisting her.

"What-Is-This-Thing?" Buffy asked breathlessly, in between giving and receiving hits.

"Cralt demon." Spike answered.The fact that he didn't need oxygen made it a lot easier for him to talk mid-fight. "Nasty little buggers. ugly too. No offence." he directed at the demon. "Wouldn't like your chances if you were alone. But-Thanbkfully-You've--Got-Me." he choked out, as the fight got rougher.

Then Buffy, with her best karate kick yet, snapped the demon's head clean off it's shoulders.

They both stopped to catch their breath. Well, Buffy stopped to catch her breath, again Spike being a vampire, he didn't need to.

"You're welcome." muttered Spike, aggresively.

"Oh, I'm sorry." said Buffy sarcastically. "I wasn't aware that you wanted to help me, I thought you just liked money and beating up uglies because you can't get a happy from biting humans anymore."

"Yeah, well, I didn't have to save your neck like that. In fact, yeah, you're right I would rather have bit it. I could have left you to get your ass kicked, but no." He snapped.

Buffy gave him another disgusted look.

"Oh Bollocks!" Spike exclaimed. "I've got Cralt demon all over me. Well I can't stand this stench anymore." he said, with a withering look at Xander.

"At least _you_ don't _have _to breathe it in." retorted Xander

"Who said I was talking about the rubbish?" He shot back. "Anyway, i'm back off to my crypt to get changed. Your little theory that a vampire can be spotted by his out of date clothes _defenitely _doesn't apply to me, love."

Buffy's reply was "Don't call me love."

Willow helped Tara out from where she had been hiding with Anya behind the tyres. Xander reached for the bunny-hater's hand, but she slapped him away.

_Always the independant one._ He thought.

"Oh look, the trophy was broken during the fight." said Willow, slightly wistfully.

"Shame" said Xander. "But remember Will, these are _bad _memories. _Baad _high school memories that we don't need." He told her, leading her away.

"Why don't we meet and tell Giles about that demon tomorrow?" Buffy suggested.

"Ooh! While I'm working and making _lots _of money!" agreed Anya, enthusiastically.

"Sure, we'll see you there." Willow confirmed.

They all went there seperate ways but Buffy noticed that she was the only one who was walking alone. Of course, she was the only one who could _truly _walk alone safely. but it didn't make it any better.

_Riley hasn't been gone long. _She thought, as she continued down the path. _But it's over. My one stable, normal relationship is over._

Just for a second, although she had many friends and family she felt like the most isolated, loneliest person in the world.

She mentally shook herself. She wouldn't allow herself to get mopey. Ever.


	5. Catherine

**MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL, WELL ONE AS THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON READING (THAT'S YOU EMMA!)**

Long after the Scooby gang had left the dump, in the early hours of the morning, the broken trphy began to glow. Golden energy flowed from it, leaving a person in the middle of the city dump. Catherine Madison. Shaking and muttering to herself, she sat huddled on the ground. She was confused and disoriented, she didn't know where she was.

She lifted her head and her eyes were burning black.

"Where is he?" she yelled cruelly into the darkness.

She headed to the largest cemetary and walked into Spike.

"Where is he?" she snarled at him and then ran off into the distance.

"What the hell?" he asked himself. "Better tell Buffy that Glory's been feeding again, leaving her usual trail of insanes."

"Spikey! Blonie Bear!" he heard Harmony call from the other side of the cemetary.

"No, not her, not now!" he groaned.

"Spikey!" she said as she caught up with him, despite his efforts to ignore her and stride away.

"Have you been fighting again?" she asked as she noticed his ruined clothes.

"Yes, you silly bint." he told her. "

"Well...anyway... was it over me?" she continued. "Was some vamp into me, so you killed him out of jealousy?"

"Just you keep living in fantasy land Harm, like you sodding always do."

"Fantasy land! Like, how could you accuse _me _of living in a dream world! You keep boasting that you'll kill the slayer! But have you did anything about it yet? NO! And this _Drusilla _you are always talking about! she must have been so out of it, I'm surprised she even remembered she was a vampire!"

"Leave Dru out of this!" he warned her in a low growl. "I'm going for a walk, you can do what you like!"

He headed towards Buffy's house, deciding that if he saw her he would just use the excuse that he was telling her about the crazy woman and make out that was all. But really, he was just watching her house, to see her, to protect her. But so what? he was bad baby, and he would stalk who he liked!


	6. The Fish Tank

It's 1992 Inside a large house in Sunnydale. Catherine Madison and Charlie Madison were in the middle of a heated argument. "That Whore! That little slut!" Catherine was yelling, over and over again. Amy Madison was hiding upstairs, crying. her parents had always had problems. They had married young, right after they graduated and they'd stayed together for Amy's sake. Now she was twelve it seemed like everything was falling apart.

"Running off with Miss trailer-trash bitch like this! Danielle! My best friend! Amy's Godmother!" She screamed.

"You can't talk about her like that!" he yelled back. "You hardly even know her anymore!"

"I know enough about her, I'll curse her name!"

"Shut up you evil witch!"

"The truth can't hurt me Charlie! I've given up my life for you and Amy! Since I was eighteen I have done nothing for myself! I've been slaving after you two! Well you can leave but you'll regret it, I swear! You've ruined everything for me, but you won't for Amy. She's done nothing to deserve this! She WILL have a life!"

Amy cowered as she heard these words. She knew the kind of life her mother wanted her to have.

Sunnydale, 1996.

The next few years were hell for Amy. She was _never _good enough for Catherine.

After four years of crazy dieting she finally had the looks that would keep her mother happy, with the fridge practically padlocked and her living on raw vegetables.

The only real food she got was when she had brownie-fests at Willow's house. Sheila Rosenberg was always so nice, a little false maybe, but perfect when compared to her own Mom.

Amy had no interest in cheerleading but she was forced to train. She practised six hours a day with catherine so that she could follow in her footsteps. Catherine had taken the team to the tri-county champions, and no-one had done it before or since.

When she wasn't training with Amy, Catherine was locked up in a roo upstairs. Amy didn't know what she did up there, her Mom would kill her if she went in, but she had a pretty good guess. Witchcraft. dark magic. Amy had pieced it all together over the years, all the hints in her parent's fights her mother threagtening to curse her if she didn't do a backflip perfectly.

Catherine believed Amy was wasting her youth.

Sunnydale- The present day

Catherine was feeling better. She could remember everything, and man was she pissed!

She remembered Amy and Buffy stopping her. but most of all she remembered Charlie, and Danielle the tart.

Dressed like the town skank she headed up the dark alley that led to the Fish Tank, Sunnydale's sleaziest dive. Vampire's hung out there even more than they hung out at Willy's place, or the Bronze (The coolest place in town), they mainly hung there because of the number of sleazy humans.

Even people who had known her well before couldn't recognise her now. Apart from the slutty clothes, she had cast her best glamour that made her look at least 18 years younger.

All of her memories from 1996 were still there, but they weren't what she was focusing on. She would get her revenge on Buffy, but Danielle and Charlie had priority.

She thought of all her years using her bullying powers then finallyher magickal ones against Amy. Her promise of vengeance had not been fulfilled.

She had already used a locator spell to try and figure out where they both were, without success.

But she knew that they were other filthy, lying cheats out there she could practice on while she was getting ready fro the kill.

Using her magic to detect the unfaithful in the crowds her gaze settled on a guy talking to a pretty blonde, at least half his age. When she left to "freshen up" Catherine approached him, she took her chance and went to speak to the unfaithful bastard.

"That girl you're with, she's not your wife is she?"

"Wow, you're straight to the point, aren't you gorgeous? No, I'm not married."

"Oh really?" asked Catherine

"Yeah,why? Are you intersted?"

"Well." said Catherine, her eyes blazing. "Blondie over there might be too stupid to notice your wedding ring, but I'm not!"

"Listen..." said the man uncomfortably "Did Carolyn put you up to this? Do you know her? My wife, she never lets me have any fun, it's jealousy, but that didn't mean anything honestly."

"You!" Catherine yelled above the music, "Are the scum of the earth! and you will pay!"

Her eyes went the familiar black colour and all the glass in the building shattered. The crowd's scream was long and piercing.

"Metaphius Incorptus!" Catherine hissed, the lights flickered and went out.

When they switched back on again a few seconds later, the guy was gone. In his place was a pig.

"There! That's more fitting isn't it?" Catherine asked the crowd coldly, and she disappeared amid screams.


	7. The Magic Box Revisited

Rings of fire surrounded the slayer as she prepared herself to fight... She didn't know what. Darkness washed over her and she knew that some sort threat hung over her.

This was different from all the usual ramblings of her subconscious, that usually featured a cheese-guy. This was a prophetic dream, not her first.

"An enemy from your past has not forgotten you." whispered an unseen voice.

Buffy jolted awake and went downstairs for breakfast, slayer's needed a lot of energy, it was good to fight on a full stomach. With that dream fresh in her mind she tried to shut out the happier memory of her previous dream about the cotton-candy machine that had tried to eat her.

She had to remember this, Giles needed to know about it _and_ the icky demon from the night before. she didn't like to admit it but without Spike that fight could have got a _lot_ nastier and that wasn't necessarily a good thing.

"Buffy!" Dawn interrupted her thoughts. "Did you finish _all _the cereal yesterday?"

"Calm down little Pumpkin Belly!" said Joyce. "We'll get more cereal today, and right now I'll make pancakes."

"That makes everything better!" said Dawn excitedly, giving up.

Dawn was clever, but because she was six years younger than her she was about as good in an argument with Buffy as she would be in a real fight. But she could play the annoying little sister part perfectly.

_Because she is the perfect annoying little sister, _Buffy realised. She wasn't just the key, she was her sister in every way that counted, no matter what the monks had to do with it. Her memories were real enough.

"You look deep in thought." her Mother commented.

"Careful it doesn't kill you!" said Dawn, running from the table before her sister had time to react.

Buffy rolled her eyes, but secretly she was glad that they had those little moments, the moments that proved they were a real family.

"Thank you very much for shopping at the Magic Box, please bring your money back to visit soon!" Anya fare welled a customer.

"Anya." said Giles. "Perhaps it's best not to be so...demanding with the customers."

"But I'm always direct." said Anya, sounding hurt. "I value their service. And their cash. It's a big part of being a good salesman. Woman."

"Yes, well you know I admire your directness, just...don't overdo it."

"Check!" said Anya, now carefully dusting the relics, in case one broke and the money would have to come out of her salary.

Buffy, who had been watching this show in amusement, suddenly remembered why she was there early.

"Oh! Giles, I had a dream last night."

"Yes, people have those," said Anya, absently. "images from the sub-conscience go to the brain, sometimes remembered but usually making little or no sense."

They gave her a look.

"I get them all the time since I became human." she explained. "Usually I dream about having sex with Xander, and then I wake up and _have _sex with Xander..." her voice trailed off as she headed down to the basement to check on the stock.

"Yes, Buffy you have dreamt before." said Giles gently. "it wasn't the one where you were eaten by the Cotton Candy machine again was it?"

"Yes, but- it changed!"

"Ah! Must have been the cheese guy again?"

"Huh?" asked Buffy. "No! This was serious. There was fire all around me, and I was getting ready to fight something, but I couldn't see it. Then a voice said an enemy from my past, that didn't remember me, would attack."

"Well, it certainly could have been one of your prophetic dreams., but you are quite memorable to your enemies.

An enemy from your past... well, that doesn't exactly narrow it down."

"Yeah, it could have been last week, or three apocalypses ago."

"Indeed. Well, I can't see anything that we can do immediately, stay on your guard and be prepared."

"I'll girl-scout it!" said Buffy brightly.

"I'd prefer it if you'd Slayered it, and killed it, instead of selling it cookies though. Now, Anya mentioned a new demon?"

"Yeah, a Cralt demon Spike said."

"Spike?" Giles asked as he flicked through an old book.

"He decided to hep last night."

"For free?"

"Yeah, strange isn't it? The hellmouth's going mad."

"Ah. Cralt demon!" he showed Buffy the passage and picture. "Is this the one that attacked you?"

"Yeah, that's Mr Ugly alright."

"Usually found in deserted areas, usually nested with at least ten siblings." Giles read.

"TEN?" Buffy exclaimed. "I had enough trouble last night with one! And that was with Spike helping!"

"Well, you'd better persuade him to help you again. You won't be able to take them alone. Offer him money to the search the areas surrounding the dump with you."

"Not our money!" interrupted Anya.

"Yes Anya, our money. Now, I know you won't like this Buffy, but Spike's the only one with strength anywhere near yours-"

A smoking brown blanket came hurtling through the door, yelling in pain.

"Aaah! Bloody Hell!" Spike shouted from it.

"Speak of the devil..." muttered Buffy. "What do you want?"

"Well if you don't want my services Slayer, I'll be going." he said, taking off the blanket and sounding mildly offended.

"Forget it." said Buffy. "What to do you know?"

"Another lunatic in the cemetery last night. I reckon she must be one of Glory's meals."

"Is that it?" asked Buffy.

"Yeah, I just thought you should know that Glory is active, is all."

"Well, thanks for the thought, but what are you really risking for your undead life for?"

"No, that was it."

"Listen Spike! I don't know what your game is, but I _know _you've got one. While you're here, you can be of some use. Check out some caves with me to find the demon's friends. and I'll give you some pretty bits of paper."

She flashed the cash in front of his eyes.

"Right then, we're off to find some demons. Err...demons plural?"

"About a dozen of them."

"Bollocks!

"What, you can't handle it?"

"No, it's not that, it's just that this is a new shirt..."

"Pathetic." Buffy taunted him.

"Buffy!" called Anya. "You should probably come look at this."

"What is it?"

Anya thrust that morning's edition of the Sunnydale Express at Buffy.

"Look, at the Fish Tank. Strange Occurrences..."

"Yeah." agreed Buffy. "Windows shattering, screaming, lights flickering, anything else?"

"Yes." Continued Anya. "A strange disappearance of 28 year old male Rick Miller and witnesses at the Fish Tank _swear _a woman turned him into a pig. They're in therapy right now."

"They're in therapy? Wow, on the hellmouth that's the sane explanation!"

"This looks like a vengeance attack." mused Anya "It said the witnesses reported that the woman disappeared after the incident. In my demon days that is just the kind of thing I'd have done."

"So...this is the result of a vengeance wish?" asked Buffy.

"Not necessarily," explained Anya. "This could be witchcraft, or even something else. Why must everyone always point the finger at usually innocent demons?"

"What do you think we should do about this Giles?" Buffy asked her Watcher for guidance.

"Nothing yet." he answered. "Wait and see if anything happens that's put of the ordinary, and _don't _let Anya know. it could be one of her friends your killing."  
"Hey!" protested Anya.

"Great, I'll check the clubs for anything strange tonight. Come on Captain Peroxide, we've got to get those Cralt Nasties gone."

"Right then." agreed Spike. "I'll get my axe."

"They must be around here somewhere." said Buffy.

"Yeah, right then!" said Spike. "I bet you just like to take away my fun."

"Spike, thrashing demons is the only thing you can do for fun, and no-one's forcing you to be here."

"Don't act like you're all superior, Slayer. You need me, and you know it."

They stopped outside a large cave.

Buffy was quiet.

"I think this is it."

"Bet you're just changing the subject." he said, but he too lowered his voice. "Are we going in?"

"For the kill." Buffy replied.

"You're back!" Willow exclaimed. "Giles told us you were going to kick the ass of those Cralt demons." Willow finished with a grin, then a frown. "They are dead aren't they?"

"Totally dead. _Way_ dead. Even more dead than Spike." She replied reassuringly.

"Hey, don't bring me into this!" protested Spike. "I'm off!"

"Hey, not so fast." Buffy stopped him. "If you check out the bars for any...unusual happenings tonight, I'll double the money."

"You got yourself a deal, love."

"Usual demon haunts." Buffy told him.

"What, you think I can still just walk into these places?" he asked. "I'm making a name for myself as your ally, making myself a few enemies in the demon world. They don't take too kindly to me anymore."

Seeing the resolved look on her face he added "But I'll risk it."


	8. Clubs

"Spike where are you going?" asked Harmony. "Be careful with that." she warned as Spike put a stake in his pocket.

"I can handle myself, Harm." He told her. "I'm hitting a few places tonight."

"Can I come?" Harmony asked brightly.

"No." Spike replied immediately.

"But you _never_ take me out" she complained.

"Is that so?" Spike asked. "But I thought you were 'laying low' from the slayer.""

"I am!" protested Harmony. "But that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun!"

"Well not with me you can't. Make your own sodding fun, I've got places to be, demons to thrash.

He had to stop breathing as soon as he entered Willy's place. The smell of stale alcohol, cigarettes and other...things was overpowering and unbearable, who spent most of hi time drinking and smoking, and other...things.

"Spike!" Willy glanced up from drying a glass with an extremely dirty old rag.

"What happened here?" Spike asked suspiciously, noticing the state of the bar.

"Oh, nothing. Just your regular , run of the mill fight."

"Oh, right." said Spike.

"You're lucky it happened actually." Willy continued nervously. "I'm closing early, it's quiet now. The demons who did this earlier didn't seem to happy with you..." he trailed.

Spike raised an eyebrow at him.

"Is that right? Well, if they show again then give them a message from old Spike."

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

"Bring it on!" Spike answered dangerously. "Now your tiny brain might not have comprehended this, but when I walked through this door, it wasn't for a Bloody Mary. I need answers."

"Sure, and I'd love to give them to you Spike, really but there's been nothing, a bit of hustle about you, or a bit of Kitten Poker, that's all that's been happening around here lately."

"Are you sure about that?" Spike asked, threateningly.

"Yeah, Spike." said Willy, shaking after the warning. "I don't know anything about that pig business."

"How did you know that I wanted to know about 'that pig business' " inquired Spike.

"Oh- err...well..." said Willy, stumbling over the words. "It's what everyone's wanted to know about these past few days." Willy faltered. "But I know nothing."

"Right then, I can see that you're going to be of no help. I'll try the Bronze." said Spike.

"Right." replied Willy. "and, I'd lay low for a few nights...The Cralt demons in here weren't very happy about what you and the slayer did to their relatives."

"I'll bear that in mind!" Spike called back over his shoulder, as he stepped over some broken glass and out of the door.

Spike skulked around the ally outside the Bronze. He'd had no success so far, but he assumed this would be the most likely spot for something to happen.

He entered the club and had a quick look around. Nothing strange jumped out at him, so he approached the bar.

"One of those flower shaped onion things." he ordered. He sat on a stool at the bar and looked up on stage.

A terrible band, but he decided they didn't look particularly evil.

He decided to hang around for a while.

Something interesting might happen, or he'd have to make it happen.

About twenty minutes later Buffy entered the building.

She noticed her peroxide pest immediately.

"Spike! I am paying you to check out Willy's place, not check out the local delicacies!"

"Closed, love. Some rowdy demon trashed the place."

"Oh. Well...anything here?"

"It's looking almost normal so far. There has been the hideous crime of these Nancy-boys on stage, but apart from that it's been quiet."

Just as he finished talking the lights flickered out.

"Until now." Buffy added.

But to her relief, they flickered on again and the band resumed playing.

"You shouldn't be so hasty, slayer." Spike commented. "There's probably a problem with the electrics or something."

"Yeah, whatever." said Buffy. "What were you saying in the Magic Box earlier, about Glory?" she asked.

"Oh, so now you're interested." teased Spike.

She rolled her eyes.

"I don't have time for this Spike, I want a straight answer."

"Well, I've just been noticing a few more of the old crazies around than usual, is all." he explained.

"What, has Drusilla been to see you?" Buffy asked scathingly.

"Watch it, pet." he growled warningly. "No, people have been wandering around acting like they've just escaped from the asylum."

Buffy flinched at these words, Spike didn't know why.

"She must still be doing the whole brain-suck thing." Buffy mused.

The lights flicked off again.

"My God this place needs an electrician." Buffy complained.

"I think something's finally about to happen." Spike murmured.

Buffy made her way through to the confused crowd, up to the stage where she could get a better view of the whole club.

Then she spotted someone at the front, someone she hadn't seen for over four years.

"Oh my God, Catherine Madison." she whispered.

Catherine's eyes burned like fire.

"You!" she shouted. "it was you who imprisoned me! Didn't you know I was powerful enough to escape when the trophy was broken?"

"Wow. I'm sorry." said Buffy, finding her voice. "I mean, it's not like you were attacking high school girls and trying to kill me, just to get your daughter on the cheerleading squad, is it?"

"Amy." said Catherine. "Where is she?"

"Rat." said Buffy calmly. "She turned herself into a rat."

Catherine didn't seem to care.

"What about her father?"

"Oh, I heard he went on a long holiday in Dubai with his secretary."

"No matter." said Catherine. "It's not just him I want punished, it's all of them."

"It was you who turned that guy into the pig last night." Buffy realised.

"Yes," said Catherine, laughing. "He was an unfaithful bastard. And I've punished others. I've been busy while you've been looking for me."

"So." said Buffy. "Not that this catching up isn't fun, but are we gonna fight, or just chat about it all night?"

"Stupid girl!" screamed Catherine "You can't beat me this time. I don't see any mirrors that can help you." but she hesitated.

"I'll deal with you later." she decided. "I have more important things to deal with. But, before I go, a taste!"

She hit Buffy with a jet of blue light in the chest that knocked her down, making her fall into the instruments of the band.

Catherine laughed again and teleported away.

Buffy wondered where the crowds had gone, then she realised spike must have let them out the front when she was "dealing" with Catherine. She seemed to remember the screams dying down.

Limping slightly from the impact of the spell she walked out slowly and met Spike outside the door. He held out his arm to help her and together they walked to Giles's place.


	9. Giles's Place

When they arrived they could see that they were not the only visitors.

"Hey Buffy." said Willow.

She and Tara were having tea.

She passed a cup to Buffy, and offered one to Spike, who politely refused.

"We wanted to stay and wait for you." Tara explained. "We had a feeling."

"You know Buff, one of those feelingy feelings you both feel and feel the feeling that you have to do something about it?" Willow tried, and failed, to explain further.

"It felt really bad." said Tara.

"Powerful magicks." said Willow. "Putting you in danger."

"Well you were right, Red." said Spike, speaking up for the first time. "Your feeling was in the form of Catherine Madison."

"Catherine Madison." repeated Willow, slowly. "Amy's Mom? But we destroyed her, she's gone. Possibly to the world without shrimp."

"No Will." said Buffy. "She was very much here tonight. She was behind all the vengeance attacks."

"Oh!" said Tara, in realisation.

"But...how?" asked Willow.

"The trophy." Buffy answered flatly. "She said she escaped when that old cheerleading trophy broke."

Giles, who had been cleaning his glasses and listening all that time suddenly put them back on and said "Of course!"

"Thanks for that Giles, it would have been really annoying if you hadn't explained yourself properly." said Buffy, sarcastically. With demons she could use her fists, but with her friends sarcasm was her best and only weapon.

"Yeah, come on Giles." said Willow, enthusiastically. "Where's the Giles-y explanation?"

"If you'd given me a second, you two, I'd have had a chance to say that Catherine must have been entrapped in the trophy when Buffy reflected the spell back at her all those years ago, then was released when it was broken." Giles said patiently.

"Wow." said Buffy. "That was a good, yet somewhat quicker than usual explanation. Thank God it didn't hit me. What good would a Slayer be trapped in a piece of metal."

"Yeah Buff." said Willow. "either we'd all be dead right now, or still trying to deal with the master or one of the other hundred apocalypses."

"Goodness knows there have been enough of them." said Giles, wearily.

"Right, now we've all thanked our lucky stars, what are we going to do about the witch with the Revenge R Us problem?" asked Spike.

"We should leave it until tomorrow." Giles decided. "Ask Anya what her next vengeance step might be. That's a point- why does she want revenge?"

Buffy sighed. "It started with Amy's Dad. Now it's just vengeance on random unfaithful men. But I don't know what Anya can do really, Catherine isn't a demon, just a really powerful, pissed off witch."

"She is at the moment, Buffy," Giles continued. "But as Willow might remember, D'Hoffryn headhunts anyone casting strong vengeance spells. He might try to...recruit her."

"I have his talisman!" Willow exclaimed. "He gave it to me, when he asked me to, you know...right after Oz left. _And _we have Anya. We can contact him and stop him from giving her all the demony powers."

"Good idea Will." agreed Buffy. "Bring it to the store tomorrow. A demony Catherine would be bad news."

"Worse news than you imagine Buffy" said Giles. "If D'Hoffryn gives her those powers, without her Vengeance talisman and the right spell she's be virtually indestructible."

"That's why we have to contact him soon." remarked Buffy. "Before he contacts her. Tomorrow at eight, guys."

"err...what about me, slayer?" asked Spike. "I can't just wander along for a stroll in the morning sunshine whenever I feel like it, pet."

"The invitation doesn't include you, Spike." Buffy told him.

"I- I mean, h-he could be useful Buffy." stuttered Tara.

"Come by the sewers then, if you have to." she reluctantly agreed. "hopefully you'll be eaten by a chaos demon before then."

Spike was used to her comments.

"Night all, it's my lunchtime." he said, and left.

"We should be going too, Giles." said Willow.

"Same here." said Buffy. "Mum still isn't one hundred percent, and Dawn will be wondering where I am."

"I'll tell Xander to come by the shop with Anya tomorrow." said Giles. "_Don't _be late!"

Buffy's dreams that night were troubled again.

Images of cheerleaders in yellow shirts and short red skirts flashed before her eyes.

She awoke determined, she had beaten Catherine once, and she resolved to do it again.

"Anya, will you _please _stop pacing, you're giving me a headache." Giles said, sounding tired.

"But I'm nervous, Xander and the others aren't here yet." Anya replied, flustered.

"They're not due here for another half an hour," Giles reassured her. "We're only here because we open early on Saturdays."

"But we're not even open!" protested Anya, "It's not fair, lots of people bring us their money on Saturdays, why couldn't this witch have came another day?"

"Well Anya, I'm sure she didn't purposely schedule it for your inconvenience."

"Yes, people doing things for my inconvenience, that sounds about right. D'Hoffryn coming in right when Xander and I were about to-"

"D'Hoffryn?" Giles looked up, alerted. "Has he contacted you Anya?"

"Yes, last night. At the most inappropriate time too…"

"Anya, this is important. What did he want from you?"

"Oh. Just a reference. I don't know the woman personally, but apparently her style is very similar to my own "Women Scorned" thing. Maybe she's a fan…but anyway, he heard she's been doing some work in this area…"

"Anya." Giles said quickly. "her name wasn't Catherine Madison, was it?"

"Yes, that was it!" she answered brightly, not noticing the look on his face. "I'm sure I've heard Xander mention her…"

"Yes, well, that would be because _she _is the witch we're tracking."

"Oh…" said Anya, a look of comprehension dawning on her face. "A lot of things tie up

Now." she remarked. "It's a small world, isn't it?"

"Indeed it is." Giles sighed.

"I feel…remorse and Shame…" Anya said, slightly confused.

"Yes, that would be guilt. Do you think he'll have been able to get hold of her yet?" he asked anxiously.

Anya considered this. "He probably will have by the time I can summon him."

"Well, it's worth a try. But wait until the others get here." he checked his watch. "They shouldn't be long now. They'll be worried if we're not here, especially after I warned them no to be late."

"Did I do the wrong thing?" Anya asked, worried.

"No, no. It's not your fault, you didn't know."

"You see!" said Anya passionately, "That's the problem when no-one tells me anything! I think you don't trust anything."

"Of _course_ we do Anya, I trust you with…everything. _Especially _the Cash Register. It's just that it was late last night and we….didn't want to interrupt you and Xander."

"Ah." said Anya knowingly. "That was very considerate of you, thank you Giles, and you know I value the trust with money more than anything in the world. Even strawberry ice-cream. But not as much as sex. I'd do a lot of thing for money, except sell Xander. Money isn't happiness. But it helps. You can buy a house and a car, and get married and have kids and have a normal human life-" Anya was cut off by the ringing of the shop door bell as the rest of the scoobies walked in.

"Oh thank God you're here!" said Giles, obviously pleased she was interrupted.


	10. Aroshmaharr

Catherine was resting in the house of some sleazebag she'd made explode. Looking through his address book., the amount of women's phone numbers he had was extraordinary.

Catherine didn't like being somewhere he had befouled, but she had to rest to get her strength up. She might be powerful, but the magick took a lot out of her.

She was almost asleep when D'Hoffryn appeared.

"Catherine Madison." he said.

She was startled, but she didn't show it. The ancient, powerful demon advanced towards her.

"Your power is great. You have a flair for spells of revenge and destruction, a real talent. Do you know who I am? " he asked her.

"I can guess." she said, coldly.

"D'Hoffryn? The lord of vehemence and ruler of the world Aroshmaharr."

"You've heard of me." he remarked.

"Obviously."

"Well, I have a little proposition for you." he said as he held up a beautiful necklace with a sparkling emerald in the middle,

Catherine knew what he meant immediately.

"I have a feeling I'm going to accept your offer." she said with a smile.

"She did _what?_" Buffy asked incredulously.

"Hey be fair Buff, relax." Xander said. "She didn't know what she was doing."

"but….still!" said Buffy.

"I- I think it would be for the b-best if we summoned D'Hoffryn and got the facts…." Tara shyly suggested.

"I agree." said Giles, grateful for the voice of reason. "Willow, Tara, you should set up. Anya, do you remember the incantation this time?"

"That was a one-off" she muttered irritably. "I'd only been using it for a thousand years…."

Anya stood in the middle of the circle of magickal sand Tara had poured accurately, and Willow lit the candles.

"I'll go with you to Aroshmaharr, Anya." she said. I know you're used to it, but it can't hurt to have a witch there, can it?"

"I guess not." agreed Anya. "Okay, here it goes- _Blessed be the name of D__'Hoffryn…_

With a jolt they disappeared from the Magic Box and into the dimension of Aroshmaharr, D'Hoffryn's vengeance world.

"Well...I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

"Sorry Willow, I don't understand your Pop Culture references." Anya replied.

Willow rolled her eyes. The wizard of Oz? Pop Culture?

It was part of the mystery that was the insanity of Anya.

Willow couldn't deny that she sometimes felt moments of jealousy.

She had been love with Xander when she had been in High School, before she had started seeing Oz. But Xander was dating Cordelia Chase, the it girl of Sunnydale back when, and on-off Scooby Gang member.

When they were eighteen there was some unfaithfulness problems that had brought Anya there in the first place, as the Vengeance Demon Anyanka.

Her feelings for Xander in that way were gone, she had Tara now. But when Oz had left, just before she had met her girlfriend, she couldn't help feeling a little bit wistful.

"Anyanka!" D'Hoffryn's voice interrupted Willow's thoughts. "and the witch, Willow Rosenberg! You haven't changed your mind about coming to work for me, have you?" He asked, hopefully.

"No, sorry." Willow answered.

"We're here for some information about Catherine Madison." said Anya.

"Ah, yes, Catherine!" said D'Hoffryn "I caught up with her today. She's one of us now."

"You made her a demon." Willow said dispiritedly. "I don't suppose you could...undo it?"

"No Willow, he won't." said Anya. "I can tell."

"You know me well, Anyanka. I'd like to help you, but it is done now, and anyway, why should I give up a perfectly good demon for an ex-employee and a witch who won't enter my services?"

They hesitated.

"You can go now." he finished, and with just a wave of his hand they were back in the store.

"You know," Xander was explaining to Tara, "the fact that Spiderman is Peter Parker has no significance to the Green Goblin. He just wants his nemesis dead so he can-"

Xander cut off when he realised they were back.

"Hey, my two favourite girls!" he said. "Tara and I were just discussing your Spider Sense tingling about the magick yesterday."

"Now _that's _a pop culture reference." Willow informed Anya.

"Never mind that, how did it go?" asked Buffy.

"We were too late." said Anya simply.  
"And he won't reverse it." continued Willow.

"Guys, this is bad." Buffy said wearily. "Giles, this is bad isn't it?" she checked.

"Undoubtedly yes." he agreed. "But it could be worse. She could be-"

The lights suddenly flicked off.

"Here." completed Buffy, looking determined.

and sure enough, she heard Catherine's twisted laugh.

"I have been scrying," she said, "and I sense that some people in this room require vengeance, and one elsewhere! One by one the problem's fade, when acceptance comes to aid!"

The lights came on, and her presence was gone.

Catherine was pleased. She no longer had to resort to cauldrons and Barbie/Voodoo dolls to cause pain, suffering and...blindness.

She sighed contentedly.

The last guy she had made spontaneously combust look of pure terror was wonderful to her.

That wasn't the only reason she was pleased.

She had warned of the little Scooby Gang for getting in her way.

She _had _been doing some scrying into their past and she knew some secrets.

Xander deserved punishment for cheating on Cordy. Willow deserved it for cheating on Oz.

Cordelia Chase for being involved, Tara because it would piss Willow off, that Willow who was responsible for her daughter's downfall.

_Hell, _she decided. _I might as well torture them all._

The pain and confusion of what she had planned was greater than tying them up and threatening them with flames and chainsaws.

She couldn't wait to get D'Hoffryn's approval. This was the ultimate revenge.

Sweet, sweet revenge.

And she couldn't wait to take it.


	11. Matters of the Heart

"Vengeance..." said Tara with a shudder. "It's such a terrible word."

"I'm not offended." said Anya. "I've moved on since my demon days."

"Vengeance." repeated Buffy. "Vengeance. Who, out of us here, deserves a good old vengeance-spanking?"

"Well," said Anya hesitantly. "Let's not forget why I'm here. I don't like to think of Xander kissing anyone else, but he and Willow _were_..."

"Making with the smoochies." finished Buffy.

"Yes, that. I was supposed to grant Cordelia's wish, but something went wrong and I lost my powers."

"M-maybe Catherine want to finish off the vengeance you started?" suggested Tara. "But, who was the other she mentioned?"

"Cordelia was involved..." mused Buffy. "and Oz...with Veruca..."

"The she-werewolf." explained Willow, sounding slightly miserable. "She and Oz, they had a lot in common..."

"We're jumping to conclusions here," said Giles, irritably. "We don't know what she meant..."

Willow was losing concentration, which was unusual, she'd had over four years of practice of listening to Giles.

She kept looking at Xander's toned and muscular arms, and the cutely concerned look on his face.

She flicked her red hair, as if to get his attention.

_Wait, what am I thinking? _she snapped out of it. She hadn't felt like that about Xander for a long time.

She loved Tara.

She shook herself and tried to look interested, but Giles had stopped talking halfway through.

They looked at him expectantly, but his eyes drifted down the smooth curve of Anya's neck, down to her cleavage.

It was his turn to shake himself, what was _he _thinking of? Then he realised that she was around 22 times his age.

But that wasn't it. He sensed something, something inside her. Someone. Someone familiar that he hadn't sensed for a long time.

_It feels like...Jenny. _He knew he was acting irrationally, but he couldn't shake the thought.

Xander was the only one who had noticed his strange behaviour.

He gave him an odd look, but then dismissed it.

"Ah, yes...err..." Giles tried to continue. "If D'Hoffryn won't assist us, then the only way to destroy a vengeance demon is to...behead them."

"Sword through the chest won't do." confirmed Anya. "Or you can destroy their power centres. Mine was a beautiful pendant, with a green stone."

Willow nodded. "I remember it. But it won't kill her, it'll just remove her vengeance demon status. She'll still be a powerful, experienced and pissed off witch."

"Willow, we have two powerful, experienced witches." Buffy reminded her.

"No!" protested Tara. "I mean, W-willow is the real power."

"But together we're indestructible, sweetie." Willow tried to convince her. "I'm sure if we find the right spell, we can bind her again."

"It's certainly worth a try." said Giles, tearing his eyes away from Anya again. But she was just so beautiful to him in that light, just the way Jenny was.

_It must be her. _he told himself.

"Well _now _we're in full research mode." said Buffy. "I'm Prophecy Gal again."

"I'll get the doughnuts," said Xander. "Ahn, you coming?"

Giles wasn't about to let Anya out of his sight.

"No." he quickly interjected. "We need Anya for the...vengeance research."

"I'll go!" said Willow, eagerly. As much as she needed Tara, she couldn't stop thinking about Xander, and some time alone was just what she wanted.

"Will, you're Wiccan-witchy research gal." reminded Buffy.

"_I'll _go." said a familiar voice from the door.

Cordelia Chase walked over to them.

"It was open." she explained, gesturing to the way she had came in.

"Cordelia...what are you doing here?" exclaimed Buffy, incredulously, while everybody else just looked shocked. "Aren't you working for Angel in LA?"

"Well, I _was._" said Cordy. "But he sort of...fired me. He's been all moody and leave me alone lately. It's a thing."

"Well...Cordy...What are you doing here?" he echoed Buffy's words, finally finding his voice.

"Lets just say I have some unfinished business to take care of. Come on Xand."

She tilted her head towards the door, and went through it.

Xander looked apologetically at Anya and followed her.

Immediately Willow and Anya stood up.

"What?" cried Anya.

"_What?" _cried Willow.

"She can't-!"

"She can't do that!"

"Okay guys, there's confusion." Buffy tried to calm them down. "But we've agreed that Cordelia is involved with the vengeance. Maybe Catherine lured her here. The important thing is to work on removing Catherine's powers and binding her. That's our priority.

"Her power centre is sure to be a necklace," commented Anya. "I know it seemed cliché, but like D'Hoffryn said, I know him well."

"We can smash it from a distance!" realised Willow. "Tara and I have been working on a spell, haven't we sweetie?"

Tara smiled, but an uncertain smile, she was unsure about how Willow was reacting around Xander.

"With the proper incantation and control we can destroy it right now." she confirmed. "B-but we'll need time to prepare."

"Start now." said Giles. "There's no time like the present."

Catherine smiled to herself.

She could feel the magick working, the effects taking place.

The cheerleader girl was over from LA already, she knew.

Their feelings for each other were slowly becoming distorted, and they would soon destroy themselves.

She felt the symbol on her necklace, cool on her warm skin, and was grateful.

Her demonic powers prevented the exhaustion she had been suffering from earlier.

"_Mara-chi Patraka alanci-smai msr cadona." _chanted Willow.

"_Karana, molonu, eranda tempulous!" _continued Tara, taking over from her.

Their voices were different, deeper, Buffy noticed.

The two wiccans joined hands and turned their heads towards the door.

Miles away, the necklace in Catherine's hand shattered.

She shrieked and fell to the ground, she could feel her abilities fading and her weaknesses returning.

"It's done." said Willow, breathlessly.

"I can feel it." said Tara in agreement.

"Good. Now it's just the binding spell we have to take care of." said Buffy.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, this looks good." said Anya, showing Giles a page in a large, dusty occult book.

"and it's only in the fourth volume I looked in!" she commented happily.

"Must be a record." noted Buffy. "What does it involve?"

"Create a circle of protection around you, speak these words and the entity will be confined in the object of your choice." Giles read aloud.

"But when it's done, what's to stop her breaking free again, if the object's smashed?" Buffy asked doubtingly.

"We'll protect it." decided Willow. "And bury it."

"Bury what?" asked Spike, entering the shop.

Buffy groaned. _We really have to lock that door. _she reminded herself.

She then realised it must be nightfall.

"Where were you this morning?" she asked, noticing his absence for the first time.

_"You didn't write, you didn't call!" _he mocked her in a high-pitched voice.

He lit up a cigarette, until Giles point to a no-smoking sign and he graciously stamped it out.

"I was kept in my crypt by the Cralt demons. They aren't best pleased with you and me, Slayer." he explained. "But it's nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about. I took care of them as soon as the sun went down.

"Good." said Buffy, more than a little relieved. "I don't have time to think about that right now."


	12. Resolutions

Xander and Cordelia were standing on Sunnydale's beach.

"So Cordy...what brings you back to old Sunny-D? How come Angel fired you?"

Cordy hesitated. "He fired everyone. He'll get over it, he always does."

"Well, excuse me for my bewilderment, but why come back here?"

"I miss you and I want you back!" she blurted out, then looked shocked at herself.

"No. No, I don't... Xander, I don't know what's happening to me!"

_Something was up with Giles too. _He realised. _And Willow._

"I think I know what this is." he stated.

"What?"

"A love spell." he replied grimly.

"Oh God! Xander, have you been messing with the Black Arts again? That _never _works out well!"

"What? No!" said Xander, distracted as they started walking briskly back to the store, _without _doughnuts.

"You remember Anya?"

"The ex-demon that sent vampire Willow on me? sure."

"Well, I'm with Anya. I _Love _Anya. And I'm thinking of asking her to marry me." he finished, relieved at having spoken the last few words out loud.

"Oh." said Cordy. "You'd think that- because of the spell of course- I'd be jealous. But I'm not. I'm...pleased for you."

"I think the spells been lifted." agreed Xander. "Hey! Of course! Catherine said..."One by one the problems fade, when acceptance comes to aid!" I've accepted that Anya's the one for me, and you've accepted that too. The spell's lifted!

I just had my first logical theory. Giles isn't even here to look shocked..."

"Will the others be cured too?" Cordelia asked.

"No, wait, she said _One by one._ They need to resolve whatever issues they have. We should hurry. God knows what could have been going on all this time.

Xander was right. At the store all hell was breaking loose.

"Why did Xander leave?" Anya wailed at the top of her voice. "Why? Why!"

"Anya, shut up!" Willow exclaimed. "Xander would never stray with Cordelia, he loves me- _you_ too much!"

Tara gave Willow another uncertain look.

Giles and Buffy were arguing at the counter.

"Giles! What is wrong with you? You just said you were proposing to Anya!"

"That's not Anya in there, it's-it's Jenny!" Giles shouted back at her.

Buffy flinched. Angel had turned evil and killed the only person Giles had ever loved, Jenny Calender, three years ago. It was partly her fault

She stopped yelling. "Giles...she's dead." she reminded him gently. "She's gone."

"I know that." Giles said, sinking to the floor. "She's gone." he repeated.

Buffy knelt down to comfort him.

Spike just looked around in amusement.

Xander and Cordelia walked in, unnoticed by all but Anya.

"Xander! You're back!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.

"Yeah, and I'm not going again anytime soon." he reassured her.

Willow and Tara started preparing for the ultimate binding spell, and their protection spell.

Willow began to list the ingredients. "Candles, check. Colcha Sand, check. Eye of N-"

"Willow!" Tara interrupted. "Are we okay? We, as in you and me?"

"Tara, of course! I love you!" Willow exclaimed, hurt, but then she realised why.

"What was going on about Xander before?" Tara asked.

"I don't know, I just..."

"It's a spell." said Xander, listening from behind.

"Xand, we know it's a spell, we're setting it up."

"No, he means _it's _a spell." said Anya helpfully. "What you said before. We're under a love-vengeance spell. He just told me. I tried something similar in Vietnam once. Those involved just tore themselves apart."

"Catherine..." realised Willow. "How do we break it? Counter it? If it helps, I'm not having Get-on-me feelings about you right now." she said, the last part directed at Xander.

"I should think not." commented Anya.

"It looks like you've already broken it. Resolved your emotional issues, whatever they were."

"Oh, they weren't anything." said Tara with a smile.

"Just some reassurance stuff." said Willow, taking her girlfriends hand and looking in her eyes.

"How are you doing Giles?" asked Buffy.

"I'm done." said Giles. "She's gone...I know that really." he sighed and cleaned his glasses.

"Wow, acceptance all round!" said Xander. "We've had some good times with spells, haven't we Cordy?"

Spike pieced together all of this information. Suddenly he understood. At last he could tell Buffy how he felt, with no consequences.

"Buffy, I love you!" he said to her, seriously.

She just looked at him in disgust.

"Right, that's enough." she said decisively. "No-one make _Spike _fall for me and gets away with it!"

"Hey!" said Willow, remembering a time the year before.

"Oh, except you Willow." she agreed. "But Catherine is going down."

"We're ready." said Tara. "Let's get started."

As the two witches worked their magick, Catherine was still in shock, still lying on the floor, far away.

Willow realised that she was weak. Which meant they had a good chance.

She smiled at Tara as she took her hands and they began to chant.

As the ritual began, Catherine's body disappeared in the same orange glow it had arrived in, It zoomed out of the house she was in, through the streets of Sunnydale and into the object Buffy had decided to bind her too.

It was a Magic Box item, marked "Witches Skull."

Willow muttered a few words of protection and handed the skull carefully to Buffy. She passed it to Spike.

"Bury this." she instructed him. "_Don't _drop it. Just in case..."

"You got it Slayer." he said and left, but waited outside the door. He could still hear snatches of their conversations.

"It's good to see you again Cordelia." Buffy told her. "Even under the circumstances. Tell Angel...Just make sure he keeps safe."

"Hey!" said Xander. "Spike never solved his problems with Buffy."

Buffy shuddered. "Xand, I don't think my problem's with him will ever be solved until he's dust."

"Does that mean his 'love' is still there?" asked Anya. "Or his feelings were never there, and he was pretending."

"Or they were always there." Spike muttered and walked away.

_Better bury this hunk of junk. _he realised.

Giles and Buffy sat alone in the empty shop.

Cordelia had went back to LA, saying something about how her ghost would miss her.

Xander and Anya, Willow and Tara had went home to "celebrate" the love they were now so certain they had.

"It looks like this vengeance ordeal is over." said Giles.

"Yeah." agreed Buffy. "That must have been tough on you today."

"No." contradicted Giles. "It was just a spell, an illusion. I know that, and I know that Jenny is at peace somewhere."

"She would deserve that. At least now we can rest."

"For now." Finished Giles.

Glory lay on a large bed surrounded by shopping bags and shoe boxes.

One of her minions came over to her.

"You summoned me, oh beautiful, radiant, wonderful Glorificus-ness?"

"Yes, I did." said Glory, with a fake smile.

"Just tell me where my key is!" she yelled into the night, her voice echoing over the houses of Sunnydale.


End file.
